WWE Hall of Famer JBL has spoken out in defense of WWE Wrestlepalooza, following mixed-to-negative reviews of the inaugural premium live event. On the latest Something to Wrestle With podcast, the former WWE Champion pushed back against critics, particularly ESPN’s “C” grade review, which claimed the show “fell a little short of expectations.”
JBL argued that early reviews often fail to capture long-term success, drawing a striking parallel to literary history:
“I saw some negative stuff out there. I think people love to be negative. Dracula is the most sold book behind the Bible, and reviews when it came out were horrible. So I think reviewers have always been negative. You sound smart when you’re negative, you don’t sound smart when you’re positive. I think it’s a terrific start for WWE, I think it’s gonna be huge.”
Despite criticism, the event marked a historic milestone as the first WWE PLE under the company’s new five-year ESPN partnership.
Key highlights from Wrestlepalooza included:
Brock Lesnar returning after two years to defeat John Cena in the opening match.
Cody Rhodes retaining the Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in the main event.
AJ Lee’s first match in over a decade, teaming with CM Punk to defeat Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
Stephanie Vaquer defeating IYO SKY to capture the vacant Women’s World Championship.
JBL’s comments add to the ongoing debate about Wrestlepalooza’s legacy, with some praising the surprises and returns, while others felt the event didn’t fully live up to its hype.
